No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 367 



too, that we have been deprived for some time of the services of Pro- 

 fessor Hewitt, who usually attended our meetings and was an active 

 and efficient professor of dairying. I do not know that you are all 

 aware, though I presume most of you are, that we have lately suc- 

 ceeded in obtaining the services of a professor of dairy husbandry, 

 having enlarged that department, and that we have lately succeeded 

 the liberality of the State — have succeeded in manning it to the ex- 

 tent of putting in charge a professor of dairy husbandry. I do not 

 want you to think that that is the whole force that is intended to 

 be utilized in that building, that new building which some of you 

 have seen and enjoyed and appreciated, but I want you to know 

 that we have secured a man whose reputation is second to none of 

 his age in the country, who is entirely competent to take charge of 

 the dairy interests in Pennsylvania and to look after them as they 

 have never been looked after before. 



One of our allied organizations, the Dairy Union, has recognized 

 the ability of our young friend, and recognized his importance to the 

 dairy interests of the State by making him the President of the Dairy 

 Union, and I want to ask permission of the Board to present to then: 

 for just a moment, this gentleman in order that you may look in 

 his face and become acquainted with him. I refer to Professor H. 

 E. Van Norman, from Purdue University of Indiana, now Professor 

 of Dairying in the State College of Pennsylvania, and I have great 

 pleasure, with the permission of the Chair, in now presenting to the 

 Board, Professor Van Norman. 



The CHAIRMAN: Will the Professor please come forward? 



PROF. VAN NORMAN: Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the 

 State Board: That is about as embarrassing an introduction as I 

 ever had. 



MR, HUTCHISON: That don't hurt you; we know you. 



PROF. VAN NORMAN : I may say that in accepting the position 

 which the trustees of your State College offered me, I did it with a 

 full appreciation and knowledge of the fact that Pennsylvania ranks 

 second in the volume of her dairy products, and that dairying is a 

 very important factor in the agriculture of a State which, sometimes 

 in the minds of some people, is overlooked. Agriculture is a very 

 large factor in the welfare of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 

 and at this time I can only say that it will be my purpose to make 

 the Department, over which I have charge and responsibility, serve 

 the dairy and agricultural, and directly or indirectly, all the interests 

 of the State to the full extent of its possibilities. My work is edu- 

 cational and in as far as the educational work of the dairy depart- 

 ment of the State College can serve vou, I am at vour service and I 

 shall appreciate your interest in the work. I am ready to help the 

 cause of better dairying to the best of my ability. Large numbers 

 of cows are kept at a loss, as investigation in this and other states 

 shows. It shall be my purpose to lessen the number of cows kept at 

 a loss, and the number of horses kept at a loss, primarily, by teach- 

 ing these young people whom you see fit to send there, what they 

 need to know. We have at the present time in progress a creamery 

 course, and I hope to be able to increase it and to add other courses 



